November 26, 2016. In a couple of hours I leave the US and head to Haiti for my fifth missional journey. I am so honored and humbled that God has placed on my heart to be HIS emissary. You may recall that in January 2010 Haiti was devastated by an earthquake. In the days and months after the quake there was a great outpouring of help from around the world. Six years have passed and the need is just as intense however those who are willing to GO and serve have diminished greatly. I praise God for organizations like the Lott Carey Global Missional Community (Lott Carey) which mobilized teams in 2012 and have consistently sent missionaries since. I am proud to partner with them to serve the people of Haiti.
This year I will be serving in Haiti for two weeks. The first week I will be teaming with friends from my past as a part of Team Trinity which is lead by Tony Taylor from Covenant Baptist Church in New York. The second week I will be serving with people from my church, but more on that in the next couple of paragraphs.
This year is a little different for me in a couple of ways. First and foremost, my mom is not doing well. On October 10, 2016 the doctors recommended we bring her home and make her as comfortable as possible because they believed she had reached the end of her earthly journey. At that time they thought she had days or weeks to live and now, almost 7 weeks later, she is still here. Several people have questioned my sanity…that I would continue to plan on going to Haiti given her condition. I have consulted God in all of my decisions and His answer has been, from the very start, GO AND SERVE! So that’s what I plan to do. GO AND SERVE!
Secondly, I am serving as mission team leader for an enthusiastic group from my church, the Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, VA. I am excited to serve but more importantly, I am overjoyed to share this wonderful journey with them. I know how serving in Haiti has affected me…even changed my life. It is my prayer that they also find their God-given purpose through missions work. I look forward to seeing the effect of this important work on them. I know beyond a shadow of doubt these individuals will be “transformed”. You cannot serve God in this capacity and NOT be forever changed.
I ask that you pray for me and the other missionaries. Please pray that everything we do and say will reflect our love for God’s people and His commitment to show that unconditional love. Pray for a hedge of protection against the enemy and we go forth and declare, apologetically, the goodness of the Lord. Please pray for the loved ones we leave here in the US as we travel abroad.
Blessings…Vernon
PS – I’ve decided to try and publish my experiences through a blog this year. Please let me know what you think.
I’m not surprised at your readiness and willingness to go and serve. I believe you are destined to missionary work and what God has for you—it’s for you. YOU GO, BROTHER!
I will be praying for you and mom .
God Bless you my Deacon Uncle Vernon.
I admire your willingness to serve and you do it with grace. Most of all I enjoyed reading about your journey and experiences . My prayers are with you, your family and people you will touch in Haiti.
Thank you Uncle V for being you. You set the standards high and I absolutely love it! Your faith remains unshaken and I will always dig deeper to trust in Him the way you do. Much love and blessings. K